Ultra-marathon champion dies while running Scottish trail

David Parrish, a 35-year-old ultra-marathon champion from Dumfries, Scotland, was found deceased on Saturday while running the Cape Wrath trail in the north-west Highlands. Parrish, a former Royal Marine, was attempting to beat the record for the fastest completion of the 234-mile route, which stretches from Fort William to Cape Wrath. Police Scotland reported no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.Parrish was an accomplished ultra-marathon runner, having won the Cape Wrath Trail race in 2023 despite only competing for a few years. The Cape Wrath trail is recognized as one of the most challenging routes in the United Kingdom, covering diverse and remote terrain.For this latest challenge, Parrish was also fundraising for Scottish Mountain Rescue in memory of his close friend, Luke Ireland, a Royal Marine who died while running in the mountains in 2014. Tributes have been made to Parrish, with thousands of pounds raised on his charity page.